AG: Former Elected Official Embezzled Public Money

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced today the arrest of former Lawrence County elected official Susan Smith for allegedly embezzling money, Gannett’s Haley Viccaro reports.

Former Pitcairn Town Supervisor Susan Smith allegedly stole more than $35,000 from Pitcairn and forged a bank document in an attempt to hide the theft from the state Comptroller, Schneiderman said. The allegations against Smith carry a maximum prison sentence of 2 1/3 to 7 years.

An indictment unsealed charges Smith with grand larceny in the third degree, four counts of offering a false instrument for filing, four counts of tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a forged instrument.

“Corruption wastes taxpayer money and, perhaps even worse, erodes the public’s trust in its government,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “This individual will be brought to justice for cheating hard-working taxpayers to line her own pockets and then attempting to cover up the crime.”

Smith allegedly made unauthorized payments to herself and others from the town’s accounts at Community Bank, N.A. from Dec. 2008 through Dec. 2009. She issued checks from the CBNA branch where she was manager and cashed them for her personal benefit, Schneiderman said.

Smith provided false documentation and a forged bank memo when questioned about these payments by the state Comptroller’s Office, Schneiderman said. Smith was town supervisor in Pitcairn from 2008 through 2009.

“Pitcairn’s town officials failed in their responsibility to oversee financial operations,” Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a statement. “We urge our localities, large and small, to use basic checks and balances to deter criminal activity.”

Additional information on the matter or about any public corruption can be provided to the Attorney General’s Office at 1-800-996-4630.

2 Comments

Rick DeLorme

Why is this persons party affiliation not mentioned??? She must be a Democrat, or else it wouldn’t be so difficult to find out. Why can’t you at least be transparent Mr. Spector. You are a disgrace to fairness in reporting.